Readers of my book Grow Old With Me often comment about my descriptive writing style. I love to pull the reader into the scene and the story world by showing them what my characters experience. Benjamin looked over the valley as he retrieved tools from the back of his truck. That gets the message across. […]
Writing Lesson 2.24 – There’s, um, like, this really important thing you should know
March 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Filler words are distracting…not to mention annoying. In speech, they crop up when we don’t know quite how to communicate what we’re trying to say. Filler words crop up in writing for the same reason and have the same effect. Annoying distractions, they muddy the message and communicate almost nothing. Exercise: Look for these common […]
Writing Lesson 2.23 – More About Homonyms
February 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
In my previous lesson, we looked at homonyms or homophones. In particular, we focused on contractions. Let’s look at more misused words. This section contains words that sound alike but have an entirely different meaning—more homonyms to confuse the English language. Alter (to change) Altar (a table used for a holy rite) Example: For weddings, […]
Writing Lesson 2.22 – Banning those Floating Body Parts
February 18, 2011 By 3 Comments
Duck! Before one hits you! Okay, I’m just being funny, but that’s because I’m going to talk to you about Floating Body Parts or FBPs. I shall explain, but before I start, I have to admit that I am not entirely against FBPs in every single writing instance. However, most editors are, and it’s tricky […]
Writing Lesson 2.20 – Back to Basics
February 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Today, let’s talk about . . . Homonyms Huh? Sounds like grammar. <Pause here for groans> Yes! Creative writing is a LOT more fun than grammar drills, but if you intend to submit your writing for publication, Rule #1 is that it must be “clean”–properly punctuated with no misspellings or inappropriate word choices. You want […]
